Golf returns to the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro next year after an exile lasting more than a century.
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After a breakthrough season, Jordan Spieth revealed he expects to win at least one major in 2016. “Just competing in the Olympics, just walking the opening ceremony, staying in the village and doing whatever it is, meeting these incredible athletes from around the world, hopefully that’s something I’ll be able to experience next August”, said Spieth.
“He comes into a place he’s obviously comfortable with, he’s played well, he’s had good rounds and he’s fresh and he’s also probably got a bit of a chip on his shoulder too [from] last week, especially being back home and everyone saying you haven’t won since the Colonial in 2014”, Spieth said.
Like Scott, who is unimpressed by the Olympics’ stock standard 72-hole single strokeplay format, Spieth wishes the Rio Games offered medals for team glory.
“But it’s going to be very hard. You will have some great Aussies down there, Englishmen, your own countrymen that you are trying to beat”, Spieth explained. “You need to take advantage of opportunities because you’re certainly going to have some”.
Its addition to the Games has been met with a mixed reaction, with 2013 Masters victor Adam Scott declaring the event was “not really a priority” for him.
“It is not a team event in golf, I think unfortunately, but I will go down there and approach it like a major”.
Ominously for his challengers, of which only Scott and world No. 44 Marc Leishman are in the top 50, Spieth has returned with a similarly steely focus.
And despite a head-spinning season, the 22-year-old is convinced there are further improvements to be made before starting his Stonehaven Cup defence at the Australian Golf Club on Thursday. “I could go without missing a cut for a year, for example”.
Last weekend’s Australian Masters victor, veteran Peter Senior, backed Spieth’s prediction of some on-course fireworks, describing Australia’s depth this year as the strongest he could remember.
“There is a chance it can all come together and we can improve on a year ago”.
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“I believe that. Otherwise there would be no point in me setting lofty goals”.
